Staff

Sam Marsonek – Director of Player Development & 16u Head Coach Sam is a Tampa native, playing high school ball at Jesuit HS from ‘94-’96 where he helped win a state title, and lead the Tigers to national rankings all three seasons. After his senior year, he was selected in the 1st round of the MLB draft and began his professional career in Pulaski, Va. At the conclusion of the ‘99 season with the Rangers, he was traded to the NY Yankees for Chad Curtis. After his 6th season with the Yankees, he finally got called up July 8, 2004 and debuted 2 days later against the Rays. He pitched 1.1 innings surrendering 0 runs. However a journey that took nine years to reach the top, came to a crashing halt while boating during the all-star break just 2 days after his debut. The injury kept him out the rest of 2004. He returned to AAA Columbus in 2005 but struggled mightily. In ‘06 he signed with the Chicago Cubs, but shoulder surgery in spring training sidelined him for the remainder of the season. In ‘07, he signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League, in hopes of making a full recovery. After finally getting back to form in 2008, he was signed by the Washington Nationals but released at the end of spring training. It was that spring where he realized Gods call on his life, to pour into young ballplayers…SCORE International Baseball is now the result of that calling. Sam resides in Land O’ Lakes with his family, Kristen and daughters McKenna(3) & Kate(1).

Ramiro Mendoza – Latin Coordinator & 17u Pitching Coach Born June 15, 1972 in Panama. Played with the New York Yankees (1996-2002, 2005) and Boston Red Sox (2003-2004) Interesting Fact: Mendoza is the only modern day player to win a World Series ring with both the New York Yankees (1996-2000) and the Boston Red Sox (2004). Married to Cynthia Mendoza and has three kids.

Clete Thomas – 16u Head Coach – Thomas was born in Jacksonville, Florida and began his baseball career at Mosley High School in Lynn Haven, Florida where he was a part of the state championship team in 2002. After High School he attended Auburn University, where he played right field and batted .328 on the 2005 team which lost to Florida State in the NCAA regional tournament. Then finishing his junior year, Thomas entered the draft and was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the sixth round on June 8 and signed on June 21, 2005. Initially assigned to the Oneonta Tigers in the New York–Penn League, Thomas was promoted to the West Michigan Whitecaps on July 13, and proceeded to appear in 51 games, hitting .284.Thomas spent the 2006 season with the Lakeland Tigers, where he appeared in 132 games and hit .257 with 40 RBIsand 34 stolen bases. In 2007 he was promoted to Erie, where he hit .280 with 53 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.

A non-roster invitee to 2008 spring training, Thomas made the team after starting center fielder Curtis Granderson broke a finger and went on the disabled list.[6] On Opening Day 2008, Thomas entered the game as a defensive replacement and made his first major league putout against Joey Gathright of the Kansas City Royals. Thomas later hit a double in the bottom of the 11th inning off Royals closer Joakim Soria for his first major league hit. On May 5, 2009, Thomas was called back up to the Detroit Tigers in a game against the Minnesota Twins. In the game, Thomas went three for four with a single, double, and triple, making him a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. On June 7, 2009, against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Thomas hit the first grand slam of his career off Angels reliever Jason Bulger to break a 5–5 eighth-inning tie. Thomas has two walk-off hits in 2009. On August 3, 2009, Thomas hit his first career walk-off home run against Baltimore Orioles pitcher Danys Báezand on August 20, 2009, Thomas hit a walk-off single to beat the Seattle Mariners 7–6.

Thomas spent all of 2010 and 2011 at Triple-A. In 2011, he hit .251 with 12 home runs in 113 games. On April 14, 2012, Thomas was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins. Thomas joined the Twins for their April 15, 2012, game at Target Field. He hit a two-run home run in his first game with the Twins against Texas Rangers pitcherNeftalí Feliz.

Thomas began 2013 with Rochester as their center fielder. In 36 games with the Red Wings, he hit .296/.385/.576 with 9 HR and 25 RBI before being promoted. In 92 games for the Twins, Thomas played mostly in center field. Retired in 2014 from the Philadelphia phillies where he spent all year in AAA Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Clete is married to his wife Susie and they have 3 children. Brooks-4, Savannah-2, and Mattie-9 months.

Myron Leslie – Hitting/Infield Coordinator & 18u Head Coach Former Brandon High School and USF Bull. He left as the Bulls’ career leader in hits (312), games (241), doubles (74), runs (227) and walks (174). During his senior season in 2004, he led USF in batting (.361), doubles (23) and runs (60). Was drafted in ’04 by the Oakland A’s. Spent 8 seasons in professional baseball. Married to Melissa Leslie and have two kids, Mya and Max.

Brian Reith – Pitching Coordinator & 18u Pitching Coach Brian was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was selected out of high school in 1996 by the New York Yankees in the 6thnd. After a few solid years in the Yankee organization he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. 11 starts later, Brian was starting for the Major League club against Curt Schilling and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He battled the soon to be World Champions, but ended up losing the game 2-1 with 5.1 innings of no-hit ball. The next four years he was back and forth between AAA and the Big Leagues. He became a free agent in 2005 and decided to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That season is where he first realized that God may have plans for him other than on the field. The season was filled with injuries and disappointments on the mound, and Brian’s faith was tested full force. Life after baseball was a scary vision, but trusting the Lord with every part of his life, he moved on to the Cubs, Brewers, Taiwan, and Mexico. His playing days are now over, and he is extremely excited about serving the Lord through SCORE International Baseball. Brian resides in Parrish, Florida with his wife Kellie and son Dixon.

TJ Bennett, San Francisco Giants Follow @tjbennett116 By: Sam Silver Spotlight Athlete Archive “All I want is for my life to point to Jesus; I’ll take whatever journey that I have to take. I don’t care what it looks like as long as it points to Jesus.” That is the main goal for TJ Bennett, […]

Casey Phillips, Reporter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers By: Sam Silver Spotlight Athlete Archive Being a woman in a man’s world isn’t always easy, but being a Christian woman in the world of sports? That is another feat. Tampa Bay Buccaneers reporter Casey Phillips lives it every day. “I think that to be a sports broadcaster, sometimes […]

I see a difference when I start my day getting in the word and getting in prayer. I see a difference when I do it and I see a difference when I don't. It can be tough but I really see the importance of it....

Testimonial

Power Verse

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25